*The C.B.E. and Burma M.C. Group awarded to Major P.H. ‘Val’ Meadows, who operated for several months behind Enemy Lines as Intelligence Officer and was additionally twice Mentioned in Despatches, Seven: The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, Civil Division, type 2, Commander’s neck badge in silver-gilt and enamels, by Collingwood, in case of issue with neck riband and instructions for wearing, with Warrant dated 1 January 1963; Military Cross, dated 1945, privately engraved (Major P.H. Meadows. Burma), in case of issue, with original forwarding slip, now card-backed (12th Frontier Force Regiment Indian Army); 1939-45 Star, Burma Star, Defence and War Medals, with M.i.D., with forwarding box; Singapore, Meritorious Service Medal, in silver, officially engraved (Mr. P.H. Meadows 9.8.89), in case of issue; Brunei, Order of Loyalty to the State of Brunei, Fourth Class breast badge, in bronze-gilt and enamels, by Spink & Son, in case of issue, generally extremely fine (7) Offered with the following additional items: Original recommendation for the Military Cross, from which the following is taken: 15 Nov 1944, T/Capt Percey Herbert Meadows, ARAKAN, Aug.-Nov. 1944. ‘Capt Meadows, B.I.O., has been intimately concerned with force “BOLSTER” since its inception at PONRA (PM 352284) six miles down the NAF river south of MAUNGDAW. It was designed to act as a patrol and ambush base in “no mans land”, and to restore the morale of the villagers who were suffering from Jap oppression and atrocities. The results have exceeded expectations; upwards of 120 Japs have been killed at very small cost, invaluable information has been obtained, confidence has been restored and hundreds of acres of paddy are now ready for harvesting. Capt Meadows has been largely responsible for these impressive achievements. He was responsible for coordinating the recce policy, and personally took part in many of the ambushes. A man of great personal courage and endurance he has lead small parties deep into enemy territory to obtain information, and his exploits have been many and daring causing bewilderment and uneasiness among the Japs. His personality and dealings with the villagers have had a noticeable morale raising effect, which has resulted in much more reliable and varied information being brought in, and he has made contacts that will be invaluable when operations begin. His work and initiative throughout have been outstanding, and he has shown a complete disregard for his personal safety in carrying out his task. He is fully deserving of the award for which he is recommended.’ Original Commanding Officer’s report and recommendation dated January, 1947; Karachi Aero Club ‘Wings’; Full statutes of the Order of the British Empire, with official named correspondence to accompany the C.B.E. Warrant; Several photographs and a copy of the Daily Telegraph’s obituary, 1 August 1997. PERCIVAL HERBERT MEADOWS, known during his career as both ‘Perc[e]y’ and ‘Val’, was born in 1919 and educated at Wye College (where he qualified in tropical horticulture), and later (after the war) at Magdalene College, Cambridge, and at SOAS. He worked on a coffee plantation in Kenya and a tea plantation in Ceylon before enlisting with the Lincolnshire Regiment following the outbreak of the Second World War. He won the Combined Services Welterweight Boxing Championship before being posted to India, where he received an emergency commission in July, 1941. Serving with 8th Battalion, 12th Frontier Force Regiment, initially on the Northwest Frontier, he went on to Intelligence training in Karachi while also finding time to gain his pilot’s licence in a Gypsy Moth. As Brigade Intelligence Officer with the 74th Indian Infantry Brigade he served in Arakan (see M.C. recommendation), subsequently transferring to the 3/2nd Gurkha Rifles where he commanded a detachment and also became Station Commander. His C.O. in the Gurkhas later wrote (January 1947): ‘Due to his ability in all spheres and his initiative I had complete confidence in the efficiency of the detachment at all times. Shrewd in his calculations he is a most able organiser and administrator... …this officer is outstanding and I strongly recommend him for appointment to a regular commission and in particular for employment in intelligence duties’. Following the war Meadows joined the Malayan Civil Service but volunteered for active service at the outbreak of the Emergency, when his Burma experience proved invaluable. 1949 found him in Macao from where, as Honorary British Consul, he sent back to London intelligence reports on the Chinese Revolution. His next posting was to Singapore where he became Deputy Permanent Secretary (with Special Duties) in the office of the Prime Minister, Lee Kuan Yew; the two became trusting and loyal friends in a valuable, sometimes moderating relationship which continued well after Independence. Meadows was appointed C.B.E. in the 1963 New Year Honours list and is also entitled to the Efficiency Medal (not found); he died in Norfolk in July 1997 at the age of 78.
